High temperatures will simmer well over 100 again today for Portland, Oregon.

It’s smokin’ hot in Portland these days.

Record setting temperatures continue today as a heat wave grips the usually cool Pacific Northwest. A big hot dome of high pressure has set up shop over the Pacific Northwest this week. It’s also cooking in Seattle with temperature in the 90s to near 100 degrees. Iced lattes are probably the beverage of choice this week.

The Northwest heat is part of the same weather pattern that brings cooler than average air to Minnesota these days. As the jet stream dives south from central Canada, the response brings hot air into places like Seattle and Portland. Even Fairbanks, Alaska is warmer than the Twin Cities again today with a forecast of “smoke” and a high in the mid 80s.

It looks as if summer like weather will return to Minnesota toward the end of next week after another cool shot of air again this weekend. Hang in there, or grab a flight to Portland!

About the blogger

Paul Huttner is chief meteorologist for Minnesota Public Radio. Huttner has worked TV and radio stations in Minneapolis, Tucson and Chicago. Paul is a graduate of Macalester College in St. Paul and holds a bachelor’s degree in geography with an emphasis in meteorology.